Popular punk rock band Against Me! has
been together and putting out music since 1997. But while working on their
upcoming album, lead singer Tom Gabel took some time to talk to Rolling Stone about the decision to begin the process of gender reassignment.

Gabel will be adopting the name Laura
Grace Jane and will soon begin hormone and electrolysis treatments. Gabel also spoke openly about being the first major rock star to come out
as transgender. “I’m going to have embarrassing moments, and that won’t be
fun. But that’s part of what talking to you is about – is hoping people will
understand, and hoping they’ll be kind.”

And now for a brief update on some news covered a few roundups back. In the conversation with CNN
above, Sean Harris, the North Carolina reverend who encouraged fathers to punch their effeminate male children, has explained his sermon. He has stated that it’s crazy to think that telling
parents to hurt their children for perceived gay behaviour is advocating
violence against LGBT people. I’ll just give you some time to process that. Got
it? Yeah. Me neither.